Each category features 15 films shortlisted for consideration, from which the final five official nominees will be selected - except for Best Picture, which allows 10 nominations. These will ultimately compete for the coveted Oscar statuette.

One of the most anticipated announcements was the shortlist for Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Oscars. A total of 86 countries and territories submitted eligible entries, yet Vietnam once again failed to secure a place.

This year’s shortlist for Best International Feature includes: Belén (Argentina), The Secret Agent (Brazil), It Was Just an Accident (France), Sound of Falling (Germany), Homebound (India), The President’s Cake (Iraq), Kokuho (Japan), All That’s Left of You (Jordan), Sentimental Value (Norway), Palestine 36 (Palestine), No Other Choice (South Korea), Sirât (Spain), Late Shift (Switzerland), Left-Handed Girl (Taiwan - China), and The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia).

The official Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22, 2026, with the award ceremony scheduled for March 15, 2026, in the U.S., hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien.

"Red Rain," which premiered at the end of August 2025, made cinematic history in Vietnam.

The film drew more than 8 million viewers to theaters and grossed 714 billion VND - equivalent to approximately 29.3 million USD. It also won the top prize at the most recent Vietnam Film Festival.

Furthermore, Red Rain ranked first among Vietnamese films and entered the top group of overall cinema-related search terms in Vietnam’s 2025 Google Year in Search.

Despite all this, the film could not carve out a historic milestone for Vietnamese cinema at the Oscars.

My Anh